Showcases

Realistic wire wheels for 1/12 scale motorcycles
One of the biggest challenges for a modeler who builds motorcycles in 1/12 scale, is to modify a wire wheel and make it look realistic; specially without having to buy an aftermarket kit. Anyway, there are no kits for this kind of modification (except for one of the Acu-stion for the Tamiya XV1600 kit), so it's not possible to get one. So any modeler attempting to do this task must rely in his/her ability in order, to get a good result.

By Mario Covalski

Improving the Dragon Schwimmwagen - 1/6 scale #75013
Being a car fan, everything that has wheels attracts my attention, nevertheless, the Kubelwagen’s amphibious sibling, went unnoticed by me for quite a long time. After building the 1/6 Dragon Kubel, I was pretty excited with the Schwimmwagen, and the quality of the kit and improvements Dragon introduced a couple of years after the Kubel release, really surprised me. This article aims at offering my view about this kit construction, adding some improvements I considered necessary so as to make a worthy scale model.

Building the Mini Cooper S Countryman, a guide for beginners Hasegawa #24121 - 1/24 scale
The aim of this article is to give the reader a detailed and comprehensive guide. Here you’ll have typical indications for the most experienced modelers but very useful for newcomers or for those about to take their first steps into scale model cars. In spite that this kit is simple, it’s very important to follow the instructions to avoid unexpected surprises. In spite that modelers use to skip or change the order in the instruction steps, I’ll build this kit as per instructions.

By Patricio Delfosse

Building the T-34/100 – from a T34/85 & scratch 1/35 scale
The T-34 is one of the vehicles with longer operative life. Even, many are on service today in some third world countries, and until a few years ago, in Europe, they were seeing action in the former Yugoslavia. Among all the versions developed, this accomplished by the Egyptian, is the one that seems more attractive to me. In the ‘70s with the surplus of T-34 chassis, surpassed by more modern tanks, they decided to mount the Soviet 100mm BS-3 gun...

By Mario Covalski

Building the M36B1 tank destroyer 1/16 scale R/C
The M36B1 was a mix of the M36 Jackson turret with its 90mm cannon, that would be used later in the Pershing, and a M4A3 Sherman chassis. This vehicle was in response to Americans to be able to face in better conditions the big German tanks during WWII. It was not a tank in the strict meaning of the word since it served as tank killer, however, in the pictures of that period, they can be seen as infantry support tanks. This article aims at sharing with you my experience building a 1/16 M36B1 R/C.

By Mario Covalski

Tamiya Caterhams, a step by step guide for novices 1/12 scale
The first Catherham from Tamiya coming to my hands at the end of 1994, was the “Cycle Fender Special” (10202), since the “Super Seven BDR was out of stock, and it was impossible for me to get it from the stores I used to buy kits. From that moment on, my affair with which, I think is the best scale car kit ever produced, began. And here my comment: probably, you have seen better detailed kits, or even superb models limited editions.

By Mario Covalski

Building the Kawasaki Z750 Police from Tamiya / Aoshima kits - 1/12 scale
In 1976 Kawasaki launched the model Z750, a smaller sister to the Z900, adapted to the requirements of the Japanese market.
To my knowledge, the Z900 was an improved copy of the Honda CB750Four and, as it was common to Japanese manufacturers, each new model included several versions in order to cover the requirements of the Japanese police. This model was inspired in a small picture from the '70 decades. the picture was showing a Z750 model, perhaps a 1978 version, for the police, with the color and characteristics of the Japanese Police.

By Claudio Kalicinski

Scratchbuilding the Nieuport 6H, 1/48 scale
I decided to scratchbuild this plane after seeing the scale drawings by Mike Fletcher in his web site: The Nieuport Pages. I sent an E-mail to him and he kindly sent me pictures and larger resolution scale drawings. Once I enlarged the plans to 1/48, I noticed how big the plane was....

By Patricio Delfosse

Building the KV-220 from scratch / Trumpeter kit 1/35 scale
The aim of this article is to share with the reader the work accomplished some years ago to build a model of a Russian tank KV-220 of the WWII. The modeler psyche is at times, curious, being so many kits available, some day we say “this is the model I want to have!” either because we saw pictures or read something about it in a book, a message in a forum... etc. No matter how, the only way to have it, is to get down to work, and I did so.

By Mario Covalski

Building the M4A1E8 Sherman IDF service RC 1/16 scale
My liking for the Sherman started 25 years ago when I built the first version of the Tamiya M4 RC kit. In 2007, I decided to build all the versions, at least the available kits. At that moment I realized that to speak about the Sherman, you have to know a lot about it, and that is almost impossible to build all the versions. On the other hand, I found that I didn’t feel comfortable building in 1/35 scale, so, I left the project aside. Anyway, I went on reading and learning about Shermans, mainly the Israeli versions, just to check the little I know and the great many variants that are nearly impossible to list.

By Denis R.S.Bomfim

Building rusted cars - VW 1966 - 1/24 scale
It all started with a joke, I built a rusted Mustang GT 350 to make a gift to a friend who only builds Mustangs. It was at a modelers meeting when he received a homage and the joke consisted of letting him know the arduous remodeling and restoration work he would have with this rusted Mustang. I took advantage of my work and presented it in a contest that took place in Campinas city. Finally, the model was “best of the show” and they called me mad for giving a winning model. My answer was.... I will have to make another rusted model for me.

By Mario Covalski

Building the IDF M50 radio controled Sherman 1/16 scale
Building the M50 in 1/16 scale is a project I have had in mind for many years, and after the M51s (from the article published in May 2012) I felt the need to continue with this one. In this article, I’ll share with the reader my experience in building the M50 RC 1/16 from a Tamiya M4 -105mm with HVSS suspension.

By Mario Covalski

Building an accurate M51 Isherman from the Tamiya RC kit 1/16 scale
There were many versions of the Sherman, however, the last modification the Israelis made on them, is to my liking, the most showy and the one that converted a WWII tank into one of the 60 and 70 decades. I’ll not extend in describing the history of the M51, there’s a lot of information in books and internet, just enough to say that, as well as the M50, there were so many variants, that it’s recommended to build one tank in particular if you look for historical accuracy. As is my custom….I didn’t do so and just made generic versions that could have really existed. The aim of this article is to share with the reader the 250 hours of work to convert the erroneous Tamiya 1/16 RC kit into two acceptable M51. This is not an article for you to copy exactly what I did, but it may give you ideas of how to or get the basic things you need to build two versions of the M51.

Scratchbuilding the IDF Leyland Contractor - 1/35 scale
I always liked the transport vehicles especially the IDF transport trucks. When I got the Leyland blueprint and knowing it was difficult that a manufacturer of plastic kits made a release, I thought it was time to build it from scratch. Though it’s not easy to copy a scratchbuilt work, this article aims at sharing with readers the work accomplished, encouraging them to face the process of building a scale model "from scratch".

By Mario Covalski

Improving the Dragon Kubelwagen 1/6 scale # 75003
Action figure collecting is one of the most popular hobbies in the world. Figures made out of different plastic materials based on TV sci-fi series, sci-fi movies (for instance GI Joe action figures) and facts from real life such as the representation of different war scenarios. Soldier figures are commonly made in 1/6 scale, they’re represented with military uniforms made from genuine fabric and the weapons that real soldiers use to have, vehicles included.

By Eduardo Andreoli

Scratchbuilding military vehicles - Ford C11 ADF - 1/35 scale
The art of starting a model or project from scratch, is almost literally, the art of building from the bottom up. This is really exciting. Often a desired model is unavailable in some scale or entirely non-existent. Sometimes the hobbyist may be dissatisfied with the accuracy or detail of kits that are available. Other times a hobbyist will opt to scratchbuild simply for the challenge, which gives us the opportunity to give free rein to our imagination to solve problems of construction and once finished to complete our collection with a singular piece. My intention through this article is to share with you several tips of the scratchbuilding world and the way I solve the difficulties I have to face, in this case building the Ford C11 ADF.

The aim of this article is to share with the reader the work accomplished to fulfill this version based on the pictures taken during the construction and the materials used for it. It’s necessary to have some experience because I’ll neither go deeper in the basic constructions topics nor in the electronics or wiring, is an article oriented to the static model appearance, then each one will add what he/she wants depending on their skills, liking and budget.

The M36B1 was a mix of the M36 Jackson turret with its 90mm cannon, that would be used later in the Pershing, and a M4A3 Sherman chassis. This vehicle was in response to Americans to be able to face in better conditions the big German tanks during WWII. It was not a tank in the strict meaning of the word since it served as tank killer, however, in the pictures of that period, they can be seen as infantry support tanks. This article aims at sharing with you my experience building a 1/16 M36B1 R/C.

The result showed below, is a mix of Tamiya 1/24 Porsche 911 GT3, Scale Production GT3-R transkit, Quik Skins BMW M3 Gtr wheels, Scale Production and Carpena Red Bull decals sets. The Tamiya GT3 is a curbside model, lovely as usual, with the exception of the doors fenders (definitely oversized), taillights and headlights in the area of the turn signals (too simplified).